Religion is the act of walking the path.
Spirituality is realising that there is no path.

This morning, my wife said, “I’m not sure if I’m Buddhist”, in the light of not following formula or rituals.

Buddhism was only created after Siddhartha Gautama was enlightened, 2,500 years ago. At the moment of enlightenment, the Buddha didn’t suddenly say, “Oh! I’m Buddhist!” He realised the pure nature of all beings, and the cause of suffering that obscures the realisation of that.

Religion is for those who are trying too hard. 😀
Spiritual realisation for those who stop trying. 🙂

“THUS has it been said by the Buddha, the Enlightened One:It is through not understanding, not realising four truths, that I,as well as you, Disciples, had to wander so long through this round of rebirths.

“And what are these four truths? They are the Noble Truthof Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, the NobleTruth of the Extinction of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Path thatleads to the Extinction of Suffering.

“I was not sure whether I had won that supreme Enlightenment which isunsurpassed in all the world with its heavenly beings, evil spiritand gods, amongst all the hosts of ascetics and priests, heavenlybeings and men, until I was clear about the absolutely true knowledgeand insight as regards these Four Noble Truths,

“But as soon as the absolutely true knowledge andinsight as regards these Four Noble Truths had become perfectlyclear in me, there arose in me the assurance that I had won thatsupreme Enlightenment unsurpassed.

“And I discovered that profound truth, so difficult to perceive,difficult to understand, tranquillising and sublime, which is not to begained by mere reasoning, and is visible only to the wise.

“The world, however, is given to pleasure, delighted with pleasure,enchanted with pleasure. Verily, such beings will hardly understandthe law of conditionality, the Dependent Origination of every thing;incomprehensible to them will also be the end of all formations, theforsaking of every substratum of rebirth, the fading away ofcraving; detachment, extinction, Nirvana.

“Yet there are beings whose eyes are only a little covered with dust:they will understand the truth.”